Tottenham Hotspur Stadium: Redefining the Experience for Every Fan

From the outset, Populous’ brief for the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was to create a unique fan experience like no other, which would become the benchmark design for all stadia to come.

In response, we have sought to create a flexible destination rather than a one-off experience and, in doing so, have tried to challenge and change perceptions about what constitutes a world-class stadium.

The stadium leads the field in multipurpose flexibility. Primarily of course, it will be used for association football but it will also be a bespoke home for the NFL, as well as hosting other major sports and entertainment events. The interior design has responded to all of these situations, re-imagining concourse and hospitality areas to create a sequence of flexible spaces. All around Tottenham Hotspur’s new home there are special touches that elevate the design, and evoke the club’s vision. These include a small copper flash within the bar, specialist bespoke lighting, aggregate from the old stadium embedded into the polished concrete floors, and an attention to detail that creates a space like no other.

The new White Hart feature bar is one of three new bar experiences, along with The Shelf and The Dispensary

The best experience for every fan

For both the general admission (GA) and the hospitality areas, Populous and Jump Studios took inspiration from high street concepts to create attractive spaces where fans will also enjoy spending time pre- and post-match. Most importantly, this design has challenged the design team to create the best experience for every fan, no matter what ticket they have. The North West Corner is now a designated Family Area, with seating for families and children on Levels 1, 4 and 5. Before, during and after a match, there will be a different experience available for everyone.

As with all the new feature bars, The Dispensary takes its name and design inspiration from former buildings on the site

The Concourse

The general admission concourse is home to a vast range of food and beverage units, three feature bars, and a series of pop up and brand activation spaces, including a club merchandise shop.

Our design approach to the GA concourse has been to take the traditional elements found within existing stadiums, such as bars & restaurants, and amplify the design, the quantity of choice and materials to start to change the perspective of how users interact with and experience these spaces. Tottenham Hotspur fans are famously proud of their team and community, so we wanted to deliver a design that is authentic and raw in a contemporary and timeless way.

The 5-story South Stand atrium is supported by two structural ‘trees’

The Market Place

Here we have created an incredible fan zone for people to come together and enjoy. You enter the South Stand via the podium and are immediately immersed within a 5-story atrium, flooded with natural light. As you move down into the food court, the light fades away and the tone changes to something more atmospheric, slightly darker and edgier. Designs for food and drink outlets in The Market Place take inspiration from London’s vibrant street food market scene, and will create a range of diverse experiences available for fans to try throughout the season.

From the southern entrance, as you descend the steps to The Market Place, the 65-metre Goal Line bar is unmissable, and the longest bar in Europe. Located underneath the 17,500 seat single-tier South Stand, The Market Place will also house a microbrewery complete with a tap room and a large food court. This will be a unique destination for match-day fans, with fresh food outlets and a stepped seating terrace on which to enjoy your meal.

A post-match vision of the new Market Place space

Experiences throughout the new Stadium

Populous and Jump Studios have designed a high street, pub-style experience that stretches throughout the new stadium design. The three feature bars situated in the East and West Stands will ensure choice of experience for all fans, every time they visit. Indeed, all of the food court options available in The Market Place will also be available throughout the stadium’s concourse food and beverage outlets.

Within The Market Place there is a multipurpose activation and performance space, providing more options before and after a match. Again, this isn’t just about more choice during a game; the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will become the place to warm-up to a game, and to celebrate afterwards.

This stadium will be a new benchmark for every fan experience, for every stadium, around the world, for years to come. But, more importantly, it will also be the home of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club.